


Tracks

by me413



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
Genre: F/M, Family, Friendship, Humor
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:15:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25941949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/me413/pseuds/me413
Summary: For all of life's twists and turns, Barret has always found himself as a parent one way or another.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife, Barret Wallace/Ester, Barret Wallace/Myrna Wallace, Cid Highwind/Shera, Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Zack Fair/Aerith Gainsborough
Comments: 8
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter 1

Another night.

Another bout of crying.

Another hour of rocking her to sleep.

Barret groaned. Children were a chore. One he would never be able to fully stomach. "Hey, baby girl," he muttered, his form dwarfing the infant in the crib before him. "Better stop all that whinin'. I ain't got much patience for whiners."

That remark only served to inflame Marlene's weeping as her sobs rose in pitch. "Fine, fine!" he conceded with a growl, lifting her into the crook of his arm, blankets and all. "Better not take too long. Got a meeting tomorrow."

All by himself in the rooms above his bar, the gunner tiredly swayed back and forth, hoping to quell his daughter's crying. "My adopted daughter," mumbled Barret to himself.

She wasn't his. She was Dyne's. Eleanor's. The little girl in his arms belonged to his friends, dead and buried beneath the ruins of Corel. All thanks to the suits who had razed his town. Who had ripped his life away from him. Who were killing the planet for their greed.

Now he came for them. The Shinra Electric Power Company. They had fooled him. They had burned Corel to the ground. Killed his wife, Myrna. Dyne. Eleanor. They had left him without a home and one less arm. But he wasn't dead. No. He could fight them. Bring them to the ground. Ruin them for every atrocity they had committed. For draining Gaia of its life. Vengeance was the last thing on his mind. This was simply their comeuppance. And this was his life now.

But could it be Marlene's?

With a sad sigh, Barret set the now sleeping baby back into her crib. All was quiet then as the titan of a man could only marvel at the little life wrapped up in her blankets. Could this really be how she lived? Violence? Rebellion? Was he even fit to be her father? He could think of no answer. Choosing to set these questions aside for another time, the lone man simply uttered a lone word before turning in. "Tomorrow," he whispered. "Tomorrow."

Hours later, the one armed father would walk back into Seventh Heaven's doors. Locking the empty bar's front door behind him, the peace and quiet Barret hoped for was lost as Marlene's sobs erupted once more. "Well, damn. Here we are again. Right on cue."

Again he made his way up the steps of his empty bar.

Again he stepped up to the rickety crib.

Again he took Marlene into his arm and swayed. But this time, she didn't stop. The clock ticked. The sounds of Midgar died down. The city lights dimmed. Yet Marlene still hadn't stopped crying. With a look of utter defeat and exhaustion, AVALANCHE's leader threw his head back and groaned.

Closing his eyes to fight the migraine building behind his eyes, he was greeted by a sound he had never heard before: an infant's giggling. Immediately, his gaze turned to the tiny form in his one good arm. Fixing Marlene with a surprised look, he was amazed to find her gurgling happily.

"Well, okay then, Marlene. Seems you like it when I do this," noted Barret before he threw his head back, groaning once more to the delight of his daughter. Once again, her laughter greeted his ears. And for some reason, her father smiled. Despite the weight on his shoulders, he smiled, beaming down at her wide eyed form.

"Hmph," grunted Barret. "I'll keep you around, kid. You talk yet? Can you say "daddy"?"

To his pleasant surprise, Marlene managed the first syllable. In his heart then, Barret knew one thing: she was his little girl. And it would remain to be just the two of them for a while. Not too long though. AVALANCHE grew and soon enough, Marlene had three older siblings of her own. Biggs, Wedge and Jessie were everything she could want in brothers and sisters. And to Barret, the four of them were everything he could want in a family.

Until a young woman walked through Seventh Heaven's doors one day. Long raven hair and a sparkling carmine gaze, all eyes seemed to turn to the beauty that graced the quiet bar. Walking straight up the bar's colossal owner, she asked one simple question. "Any openings? I need a job," asked the lady, her voice nervous.

"Maybe for a waitress," Barret responded after a moment of thought. "You got a name, kid?"

"T-Tifa," she mumbled, her eyes unable to meet his.

"And where is the beautiful Tifa from?" asked Biggs, obviously enamoured.

"Biggs," said Barret disapprovingly. Flirting with someone you just met was a no-no in the older man's eyes. Especially in his bar.

"I'm from N-Nibelheim," managed the newcomer despite the dark skinned man's obvious disapproval of Bigg's advances. "It's a town.

"Hm, I heard. It's far off though. What brings you here?" asked the gunner.

Tifa grew silent then, her face empty. For a few moments, the only sound in the bar was the chatter of the television. Until the commercial appeared. The Shinra Electric Power Company. More propaganda. More stories. More lies. The younger lady's eyes turned to face the chattering screen, her face hardened.

Barret hired her on the spot.

And so a new addition was made to his family. In time, Tifa grew popular with the slum dwellers of Midgar. In no small part thanks to her looks. She truly was, in Biggs' words, a looker. Which worried Barret. Especially considering her state of dress: a white tank top and a leather skirt over some shorts. In the short time she had been with Seventh Heaven, he had come to know the country girl. She was kind. Understanding. Kept to herself. Any guy would be lucky to have her. But he knew the type of guy that prowled the slums, ready to go for any pretty woman showing some skin. And Tifa showed more than her fair amount of skin. In his mind, Barret knew that some creep would try for her. But she was like a daughter to him. He would be ready.

It happened one evening as Tifa turned away from a table of customers. Sure enough, one fool with one drink too many made his move. As the man's hand trailed up the waitress' thigh, Barret immediately stepped in. "Aw, nah!" he roared as he grabbed the pervert by the collar and hauled him towards the door. "This ain't that kinda bar! Get the hell out!"

But the man had friends. Friends who immediately went for the gun armed titan, wrestling him to the ground as they slashed at his face with broken beer bottles. Luckily for Barret, help was already there. Men flew off him, launched by an attacker hidden by the angry forms still pinning him to the ground. Pushing them off, Barret struggled to his feet to find Tifa beating the living daylights out of the lecher and his gang. One attempt to grab her from behind was met by an elbow. A poorly aimed swing left a man with a broken rib as the battling waitress ducked and nailed him with a kick to the chest. For all her shyness, Tifa could fight. And fight well. Flooring every man single handedly, she even took the time to throw them out onto the streets. Having done all the work herself, Tifa was met by the gaping expressions of men and women who had happened to be walking by at the time. Seeing their expressions and hoping to lessen any violence within his bar, Barret made a snap decision.

"Tifa," he started, still nursing a scar. "You ever tried bartending?"

And that was how Seventh Heaven gained its newest bartender. With Tifa behind the counter and any sickos on the other side of it, things were quiet again. AVALANCHE grew in fame. Another birthday came and went for Marlene. Biggs, Wedge and Jessie were still Biggs, Wedge and Jessie. There were no complications.

Then Tifa brought him to Seventh Heaven on a rainy afternoon. Big sword. Dark uniform. Blonde, spiky hair. Blue eyes. Pretty fit too admitted Barret to himself. His name? "This is Cloud," said Tifa with a smile as she gestured to the man leaning against Seventh Heaven's door frame. "He's an old friend from Nibelheim."

Old friend? Barret wasn't so sure as he looked to AVALANCHE's other members lounging around the bar. The guy looked like he had stepped out of Jessie's beloved dramas. The ones with all the pretty boys. Whatever this blonde's name was, he was a pretty boy for sure.

"So what's his thing? He got that hunk of metal on his back. Ain't for show is it?" questioned the gunner, his eyes narrow and his voice on edge. He trusted Tifa. He didn't trust this kid.

"No, it isn't," snarked Cloud, stepping forward to square up to AVALANCHE's leader. "I'm a merc."

The younger man had a tongue on him. So did Barret. "A skinny thing like you, Spiky? Bet you can't even lift that sword of yours."

The bladesman's hands flew to his weapon, drawing it to trace rings in the air beside him. As he set the sword on his shoulder, the blue eyed warrior smirked. "Say that again. I'm ex-SOLDIER. First Class. Tifa said you paid. Thought I'd check you guys out."

Silence filled the air as AVALANCHE's members simply glanced at each other. All were unsure of what to say. Taking the leap, it was Jessie who spoke first. "Well, well, seems like we've got ourselves some muscle. Pretty handsome, too," flirted the armor clad lady with a wink.

Biggs followed. "First Class, eh? Can't say no to that. Guess you're the new guy then."

"That's a pretty sweet sword," complemented Wedge, ever affable. "Helping hands are always good hands, right, Barret?"

"Sure," came the large man's half hearted reply. "How much we gotta pay you?"

Cloud's smirk only widened. "Two thou-"

A certain martial artist's red-brown gaze fixed him, suddenly surprised by how much he demanded.

Cloud stopped, speaking after a short pause. "Fifteen hundred," he grumbled. "The fee is fifteen hundred."

Unbeknownst to her childhood friend, Tifa smiled. A smile that Barret saw out of the corner of his eye. Immediately, he found the right word to describe the SOLDIER standing before him: a complication.

That label would prove itself later that evening. Sitting by the lowered pinball machine, Barret could only listen in on the two "friends". Cloud was everything the one armed rebel had pegged him to be: unsociable, cocky and not at all a talker. But nobody seemed to have a problem with him. Even Tifa. As a matter of fact, especially Tifa.

That was what their conversation had told him. Right up until the brunette bruiser had convinced the blue eyed warrior to stay because of a childhood promise. Right up until a horrified Barret realized that they did sound like a couple from one of Jessie's dramas. Right up until the pinball machine rose, allowing the gunner to interrupt their talk and give the walking, talking problem his pay.

After all, a promise was a promise and Barret promised that if Cloud didn't leave, he was gonna make him leave. The insufferable mercenary had already robbed the rebels of a hard earned fifteen hundred gil. He could walk straight out of their lives and never come back. "Good riddance," thought the muscled insurgent as he glared at the ex-SOLDIER.

And that would have been their last meeting. Had a brawling barmaid not mentioned how much AVALANCHE needed help. Had Barret not had a soft spot for a woman he considered to be his eldest child. Had this same woman not given into her own soft spot for her old friend.

Barret was right. Cloud was a complication.

**Going for something a bit different now. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to leave a review! =)**


	2. Chapter 2

Even though he was a bar owner, Barret had never considered himself a heavy drinker. One or two pints after a hard day to help him relax. That was all he could afford, what with his money and responsibilities to Marlene. But there were times when he made exceptions to that fact. Times when he just needed to feel the sluice of alcohol down his throat, dulling his senses and memories. Back in Corel, those moments had been ones of celebration. Weddings. Festivals. But as he sat alone on the Kalm Inn’s first floor, chugging down one flagon of the town’s ale after the other, he realized he wasn’t drinking in celebration.

For the first time ever, the gunner was drinking to drown his sorrows. For the first time ever, he was also drinking to forget the source of those sorrows: Cloud Strife. A blonde haired pretty boy with a big sword, a sharp tongue and a whole lot of attitude. He was serious. He was aloof. He had stolen the hearts of two women who were like daughters to him. To the one armed man, the bladesman was what every father with a daughter dreaded: her boyfriend. Some heartless bad boy who would love her then leave her when it suited him. But Cloud was worse. He didn’t care for their Planet. He only cared for two things: money and chasing Sephiroth. Sadly for Barret, he had proven excellent at both as the unscrupulous ex-SOLDIER had managed to seize leadership of their cadre now chasing the rogue war hero down. 

“Heck,” grunted the lonely insurgent, his voice already slurring. “I could throw back a few more. Anything to forget that spiky haired fool.”

Slurping down the latest batch of Kalm brew courtesy of the innkeeper, Barret’s addled mind only grew duller as the night passed. Unfortunately, this meant that any semblance of his self control was gone, causing the rebel to leave his drinking unchecked. The consequences of his actions would haunt him hours later. Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Barret recognized two things as Tifa woke him. First, he hadn’t returned to his room as spent flagons and bottles rested on the table from which he had been roused. Second, he stunk of sweat and alcohol, his odor so strong that the martial artist and her companion pinched their noses to block out the smell. Third was her companion. The walking, talking problem himself was looking well rested and ready for the day ahead.

As the younger pair beheld the poor state of their friend, it was Tifa who spoke first. “H-hey, Barret. You’re not looking too good. Might wanna head up. Shower off before we leave,” she advised, always considerate of his rough nights.

“Need any help? Your legs look a bit wobbly. Might have some trouble getting up the stairs,” noted Cloud, his offer so uncharacteristic that the brawler and the gunner couldn’t help but stare in shock. 

Aw, nah. I’m good, you two.” But as he attempted to stand, Barret lost his balance, stumbling forward only to be caught by the blonde. “What’cha doin, Spiky?”

“Helping you.”

“Heh, like I’d need it from some Chocobo lookin’-”

“Oh, stop it,” cut in Tifa, her carmine eyes narrowed at AVALANCHE’s founder. “Just let Cloud help you up. Aerith and Red are all done. Means you’ve still got some time to freshen up.”

“Hrm, fine,” grunted Barret, glaring at the merc’s smaller form supporting him, one of his burlier arms draped over Cloud’s shoulders. “Long as he don’t talk.”

“I won’t,” promised the younger man with a smirk.

“What’d I just say?!”

“That’s it! March, you two!” Tifa was tired of their bickering. The two men had been at each other’s throats since their meeting. An outcome the fighter hadn’t expected considering AVALANCHE’s status at the time. But here they stood, tracking down the strongest warrior on the Planet. An endeavor that required dedication and teamwork from all involved. Sadly for her, a certain childhood friend and a certain father figure seemed to have completely ignored or forgotten that fact. With an exasperated groan, the young lady pointed her figure, directing the odd couple up the stairs. 

To her delight, they followed. 

To her dismay, they did not keep silent. 

“Why you even wanna help us anyway, tiny? Not like you give a damn about the Planet! You’re just some sellsword looking for a paycheck.”

“I have my reasons. Not like I’d ever tell you,” hissed Cloud.

“Yeah, that figures. And let’s not forget the fact that you already got Tifa and Aerith fawnin’ over you. You a womanizer too now?”

“No one’s fawning over anyone.” 

“Oh, so you’re blind then? Or just playin’ dumb? I don’t care ‘cuz if you hurt either of ‘em…” trailed the gun armed warrior, his voice vicious. 

“I’m no fan of Sephiroth’s. Nibelheim. He burned it. Remember? My home. Tifa’s too.”

“And Aerith? I don’t know much about her bein’ an Ancient or whatever it is those fools at Shinra called her…”

“I’m her bodyguard. That’s all.”

“Whatever you say.” 

As they lurched into what would have been their shared room, the men found someone waiting for them. “Hey, you two! How are you, Barret? Had one drink too many?”

“More than one,” admitted the gunner, smiling despite his current state in the presence of the ever cheerful Aerith. Despite their short time as friends, the dark skinned man already adored her, the flower girl’s talkative and playful nature being a wonderful change of pace from Tifa’s shyness and Cloud’s stoicism. “Real sorry too.”

“Oh, it’s fine! Everyone’s got those days. Listen, if you two are gonna clean up, I’ll leave you to it,” said the Cetra with a laugh while she made her exit through the door as Cloud and Barret stepped aside, allowing her to do so. But now the two wondered what she had been doing there in the first place

“Y’know she was probably lookin’ for you,” grumbled Barret.

“No, she wasn’t. Her and Tifa-”

“Oh, by the way guys!” said Aerith, jade eyes mischievous as she turned, peeking in on the bickering duo. “No fighting. I’ve been waiting to tell you two. You guys have been at each other’s throats since forever.”

“Was that all?” whispered Cloud.

“Nope. Tifa thinks so too,” called the brown haired girl as she made her way downstairs, her boots clicking against the wood steps. “And you wouldn’t wanna make both of us mad, would you?”

The young swordsman groaned. “No. Let’s go, Barret.”

“No need to tell me twice, Spiky.”

But as he rid himself of the stench of alcohol, Barret’s mind and body still felt the effects of Kalm’s signature brew. But despite the slight deadening of his senses, his hungover form looked by no means the worse for wear, a thought that would be dispelled as the group reached Gaia’s marshes. 

“Ugh, repulsive,” grunted Red XIII, his paw sinking into the putrid murkiness of the marshlands. “Must we take this route?”

Aerith sighed, bundling her skirt up slightly to avoid the surrounding gunk. “Yup. Not really any other way around. Sorry, Red. I know you don’t like getting dirt in your fur.”

“It is not just the unpleasantness of our surroundings, Aerith. I fear that whatever inhabits this place may not be welcoming at all to travelers like ourselves.”

Ahead of them, Cloud trudged forward, remaining within earshot of their conversation as he chimed in. “What are you saying, Red?” inquired the spiky haired warrior.

“I think Red’s talking about a Zolom. A giant serpent,” answered Tifa. The brawler flanked Aerith, wiping away at the mud on her boots as she warily eyed the shifting wetlands around them. “I read about them in a book. They live in marshes like this.”

“Well, here’s to hopin’ one doesn’t call this stinkhole its home,” called Barret as he brought up the rear. Head still abuzz, the gunner failed to notice the bog’s scaled master stir behind him, its scaled form rising to finally cast a shadow over the party. But its arrival had not gone completely unnoticed as a howl rang out from Red XIII, his senses having allowed him to detect their newest foe. 

“Barret! Run!” yelled the fiery predator as the rest of their friends rushed to meet the reptile. At the same time, the dark skinned man whirled around, gun arm cocked and ready. The beast loomed above him, its scales a mottled green-grey that matched the dim wetlands it inhabited. Farther up its slithering form were the Zolom’s eyes: yellow, slitted orbs that spoke only of ravenous hunger. A hunger it sought to fulfill as it lashed out with its tail, knocking Barret down as it snaked forward. 

The adventurers closed in, Cloud being the first to meet it as his greatsword sliced across the skin of its belly. Tifa continued the assault, leaping into the air with a turn to ram the sole of her foot into the shallow cut her ally had left. Yet the snake continued to advance, forcing Aerith to unleash a burst of sickly, poisonous energy that found its mark in an effort to slow the Zolom. But their efforts would prove to be futile, the serpent slithering closer as it brushed off their attacks. 

A small distance away, Red XIII tended to Barret, helping his comrade up from the mire. “Can you fight?” asked the four legged figure. His one armed friend’s answer was the sound of gunfire as Barret unloaded on the apex predator of the marshes. But the effects of Kalm’s brew were still evident as each of the titan’s shots went wide, his reflexes slowed by the remains of the alcohol in his system. 

“Darn it! Help ‘em, Red! Don’t worry ‘bout me!” All it had taken was one bad decision and now, Barret could only watch as his friend’s faced certain death. He watched as Cloud lunged forward, blue eyes deadly and focused only to be batted away by the monster’s tail. Tifa and Aerith followed soon after, sprawling as another swipe sent the martial artist crashing into the flower girl. And the monster bore down on the women, fangs bared. And it would have been the end.

Had a familiar swordsman not leapt in front of the monstrosity. Its venomous incisors tore into the flesh of his back, leaving him a motionless heap. Barret could only scream in anger. The fighter and the Ancient simply sat up speechless, stunned by the sight of the unconscious mercenary. It was only the newest member of the group who continued the fight, the air around his ferocious form aglow as he dashed into the air. Seconds later, the Zolom was retreating, its left eye a bloody mess as Red XIII rushed over to his fallen comrade.

Unleashing a mournful howl into the air, the hound-like being’s lamentation spelled only the worse for the injured mercenary. The rest of the party frantically rushed over, a healing spell already glowing bright green in Aerith’s hands as she pressed her palms to Cloud’s back. “Darn it, darn it!” she growled, the jovial glow of her jade orbs replaced by frustration and sadness. “He’s poisoned! It’s getting worse!”

“What can we do? C-can we get him some place to heal? Not around here,” said Tifa, nervous but fighting to remain composed as her mind raced. “M-maybe the Chocobo Farm?”

Barret trudged up to them, gripping the blonde’s blade. “You mean the one we passed through on the way here? It’s goin’ the way we came. It’d set us back a lot!”

“Perhaps,” chimed in Red XIII, examining the translucent venom streaming from the super soldier’s scarred back. “But for the sake of Cloud’s survival, it may be our best chance.”

“Red’s right,” agreed the flower girl, a determined look on her face. “And it’s not like we’ve got much of a choice.”

The martial artist crouched beside her felt the same and immediately began draping her old friend over her shoulders. “I’ll carry him, Aerith. If he starts to look pale, just tell me. We’ll set him down so you can heal him.”

“Gotcha. And Barret can take his sword.” Tasked with carrying the prized possession of the one member of their group he couldn’t stand, the burly rebel groaned.

“Sure we can’t just use a tent?” he grumbled.

“Oh, come on, it’s not that far back,” hissed an exasperated Ancient as she lightly whacked Barret on the shoulder with her staff. “And tents are expensive. You wouldn’t believe all the haggling me and Tifa did to get the ones we have now. I was this close to threatening that one guy back in Kalm! Red’s the only reason I didn’t!”

“Damn it all, fine, fine,” conceded Barret, his shoulders slumped as he lugged Cloud’s broadsword behind as they began their trek. A few hours later, the group would reach their destination, tired and mud-stained as they knocked on the door to the farmer’s house. As the sun set, they were greeted at the door by Choco Bill himself, a confused look on the older man’s face at the sight of his returning visitors. 

Breaking the awkward silence, Tifa spoke first, turning to show the poisoned mercenary she carried on her back. “Is that room still open?”

“Oh, definitely, miss. Get him in here,” said the bespectacled Chocobo breeder as he led them to the comfort of the warm beds open to travelers passing through his farm. The party paid the fee for the food and lodging without trouble, eager for the simple pleasures of a meal and a place to rest. As soon as Bill left, Aerith immediately collapsed into a chair, exhausted even as she pulled herself to Cloud’s side. Materia aglow and her hands alight, the healer was ready to spend what little was left of her energy until a large hand settled on her shoulder. 

“Get some rest, Aerith,” prodded Barret. “Ain’t no use tryin’ to help Spiky if you’re just gonna knock yourself out.” 

Too tired to resist, the young woman simply stood from her seat, letting a tired breath escape her as she did so. But even then, Aerith resolved to ease her blond friend’s pain in some manner. Pulling a small disposable gold flask from her jacket pocket, the Cetra brought the flask to Cloud’s mouth only to find Barret’s hand on her shoulder once more. “I’ll watch him tonight,” sighed the titan. “Rest of you should get some rest.”

Aerith jade eyes lit up, worry etched on her face. “What about you?”

“I’ll be fine,” reassured her larger friend with a tired smile. “Take a breather. Tifa’s in the shower. Red’s outside. You should relax a little. I’ll give the kid his Antidote.”

“Alright,” conceded Aerith with a soft smile as she handed Barret the item in question. The normally cheerful lady then quietly made her exit from the room, electing to join their furred ally on the grassy meadows around the farm. 

A minute later, a wet-haired Tifa would finish her bath. Her hands and feet were bare, lacking the combat gloves and muddied crimson boots she was known for. Obviously ready for bed, the barmaid’s thoughts immediately turned away from thoughts of rest as soon as Barret and Cloud came into view. “Oh, wait, Barret, let me help-”

“Hey, I’ll tell you what I just told Aerith: get some rest. Especially you. You carried Spiky all the way here, remember?” reminded the rebel. 

“But-”

“But nothin’, Tifa. What’re you? His wife or somethin’?”

Tifa sputtered. “N-no! It’s just that-”

Barret merely cocked a curious eyebrow in response. “Well? You ain’t, are you?”

“No,” breathed the martial artist, defeated.

“And do you think I can’t handle givin’ him an Antidote?’  
  
“No again.”

“Well, good then. Now climb into bed or head outside with Aerith and Red. Let me watch him. Besides I’m thinkin’ those drinks messed with my head. Slowed me down y’know?”

“Barret, nobody blames you,” assured Tifa as she made her way out of the room. We all had a bad day. That’s all.”

“Yeah, well, I feel like I made things worse,” grumbled the older man. Left to watch over Cloud, he leaned over the blonde’s sleeping form, pulling on the other man’s jaw in an attempt to force his mouth open. Finding success, Barret uncovered the flask and began pouring it down Cloud’s throat slowly. “I’ll say it right now: kinda hopin’ you choke on this, blondie. Two nice girls fawnin’ all over you and you don’t even notice.” 

After pausing to glare at the mercenary, Barret continued. “I’ve seen guys like you back over in Corel and Midgar. And lemme tell you that I don’t like you one bit. All you do is break hearts. And if you break either of theirs, well, I’ll break you, SOLDIER or not. Got that?”

Despite the words of venom that had been thrown at him, Cloud was completely unaware, his body currently recovering from a very different kind of venom. Yet the hulking rebel continued as he pulled the finally empty flask away. “But,” began his reluctant caretaker as the blue eyed man responded only with silence. “You saved ‘em both. Guess you ain’t all bad. And I screwed up today. Gotta make up for it. Even if it means watchin’ your sorry face. Okay, you know what? Why am I even talking to you?”

Again, Cloud’s only response was silence.

“I swear. You ain’t sayin’ nothin’ and you still piss me off. Maybe I should shove this flask down your throat. See if that helps. Can’t believe Tifa had to carry you all the way here. Aerith had to heal you up too. But tomorrow you’ll wake up and go “Not interested”. You probably won’t even thank ‘em and they’ll still be makin’ eyes at you.”

With a shake of his head, Barret realized the absurdity of his situation. “And I must be losin’ my mind. Talkin’ to you and you ain’t even awake. I’m goin’ to sleep. This seats mine. Girls can have the other bed. Red’ll sleep wherever he wants to. Always does anyway. And you? Hmph, you got a whole bed to yourself.”

And as he placed the flask on a nearby shelf, the gun armed man leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes, letting slumber overcome him. And hours later, what would have been a peaceful sleep for Barret was interrupted by a very cheerful voice rousing him. 

“Hey, you two! Rise and shine!” called Aerith as she entered the room, followed closely by Tifa holding what was clearly a warm bowl of soup. 

“Hey, Spiky could still be asleep. Keep it down,” hissed Barret, his head and back aching from his night in a chair. However, to his surprise and the obvious elation of the woman, Cloud sat up. 

“N-no,” slurred the blade wielder, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. “I’m awake. What happened?”

“Well, what do you remember?” inquired Tifa timidly. 

“I remember a Zolom,” began Cloud. “You two were knocked down. It went for you. And then I…”

Aerith giggled, another flirty remark on hand as she seated herself on one side of Cloud’s bed. “You acted like a bodyguard. Our bodyguard, right, Tifa?”

Tifa, the far more reserved of the two women, found herself at her childhood friend’s bedside as well. “Which is why we wanted to reward you…” she breathed.

Barret’s eyes widened in shock. 

Cloud froze, unsure of how to respond.

An awkward silence settled over the room.

Thankfully, a jade eyed flower girl had the mind to finish her friend’s statement as she gestured to the soup in Tifa’s hands. “...with this, silly. What did you think we were going to give you?”

Blushing, the blonde could think of no appropriate response. “I d-dunno,” spat the normally serious and stoic SOLDIER, now a blubbering mess thanks to a single teasing remark.

By then, Barret had had enough. With an eye roll, he simply stood and left the flustered swordsman at the mercy of his two nurses as they spoon fed him soup. Joining Red XIII on the fields outside, he let out a frustrated sigh. 

“Good morning, friend,” said the newest and most mysterious member of the cadre. “You seem troubled.”

“Nothin’ much. It’s just…” trailed Barret. 

“That the two young ladies you’ve come to see as daughters have become enamored by a man that you fear may end up hurting them?” said Red XIII, a smirk playing on his animalistic features. 

“Well, yeah…” As unusual as the wolf-feline hybrid was, Barret knew Red XIII was no mere animal. As a matter fact, the quadruped always seemed to have some insight to offer. Insight the gun-armed man sorely needed. “Any advice?”

His tailed companion turned his head up, as if contemplating what to say. After a moment’s consideration, Barret received his reply. 

A low sound growl rumbled from Red XIII, akin to a laugh. “To be honest, I don’t know what to say. Perhaps Cloud is not the bad influence you think he is. After all, he risked his life to save theirs.”

“Guess you’re right…”

“So no, I do not see Cloud “breaking their hearts” as you put it last night.”

“I was inside when I said that. How’d you hear?”

Red XIII smirked. “You underestimate my sense of hearing then. Considering how we’ve just come to know one another, I am not surprised.”

Barret grimaced, suddenly unnerved by the four legged being. “You’re a bit creepy, y’know?”

“And perhaps you are overreacting. Or perhaps you’re not reacting enough,” countered his fanged and sagely ally, his teeth shown in what was likely a smirk. “After all, I’ve never heard of a man turn down two beautiful women. Especially at the same time.”

The vest clad behemoth’s face turned white. Red was making sense. 

“I’ve never heard of a man who has been dense enough to.”

Barret’s heart pounded in his ears. “No…”

“Not even a SOLDIER. After all, Aerith’s first lover was a SOLDIER himself. She told me herself on our journey to Kalm.”

And immediately Barret turned away, stomping off towards the barn as he grumbled angrily. And Red? He just sat there, tail swishing happily as he was all alone once more. 

“Peculiar human. Was that all it took? Hm, if I had known that was all I had to do for some peace and quiet…”

**CHAPTER TWO AFTER A MONTH! HAHAHAHA The torture of Barret continues! If you liked it, go ahead and leave a comment! I’d really appreciate it! =)**


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